Dental saliva-ejector



(No Model.)

' F. D. SHERWIN.

DENTAL SALIVA EJEGTOR.

No. 530,556., Patented Dec 11, 1894-.

UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

FRED D. SHERVVIN, OF EDGAR, NEBRASKA.

DENTAL SALlVA-EJ ECTQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,556, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed March 28, 1 89d- Serial No. 505,461. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED D. SHERWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgar, in the county of Clay and State of No braska, haveinvented a new and useful Saliva- Ejector for Dentists, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in those saliva removers wherein the saliva is drawn from the patients mouth byway offa tube, and the tube made to emptyinto a chamher, the chamber being connected to the pipe for creating the air-pressure necessary to the drawing of the saliva; and it consists princh pally of an improvement in the construction of the chamber for joining the two tubes, whereby the operation of the device is rendered more effective and the saliva prevented from enteringthe suction or exhausttube.

In the accompanying drawingszliigure 1 represents a perspective view of myimprove+ 'ment in position for use 5 Fig. 2, an enlarged section of the device; Fig. 3, a view of I the valve for closing the suction chamber.

The reference numeral 1 indicatesthe saliva-removing tube, which may be of any suitable length andwhich is provided at its outer end with the mouth-piece 2. a This device is curved or bent to assume a form approximately semicircular, and is provided with the enlarged end or bulb 3, which is perforated,

as shown, so that the saliva may be drawn into the tube. By means of the curved shape of the mouth-piece 2 it may be placed in the patients mouth [and will remain in position by hanging over his lower lip. From the mouth-piece 2 the tube 1 extends down to the suction chamber 4., to which it is connected by means of the metallic tube 5 of the suction chamber. The latter device is formed, preferably, of sheet-metal and shaped as an inverted cone, having at its upper side, or at the base of the inverted cone, the said tube 5, which projects a slight distance above the upper side and is connected, by any suitable means, to the tube 1, as before stated. Below the upper side of the chamber 4 the tube 5 extends down, centrally, to a point directly adjacent to the lower extremity of the chamber, or the apex of the cone, and the said apex is extended or provided with the nozzle 6, into which the tube 5 empties.

Secured to the lower end of the nozzle 6,

and extending outwardlyand horizontally therefrom, is the fiat arm 7. This arm is formed of a strip of sheet-metal, preferablyv portion the flexible rubber valve-plate 8.

Valve-plate 8 extends beyond the end of the arm and inwardly toward the nozzle 6, under which it is arranged and adapted to close. Thus it will be seen that air-pressure into the nozzle 6 will cause the valve toclose the opening, and when pressure is exerted in the opposite, direction the valve will be opened.

9 indicates the air-pressure or suction tube, by which the pressure of air in the chamber .4 is'regulated, and this is connected to chambet at by means of the shorttube 10, which is arranged near the periphery of the upper side of the chamber, and communicates with the interior thereof. The upper end of the tube 10 is bent out at right angles to the main portion, and it is to this bent section that the tube 9 is connected, whereby the tube is given a normal tendency to" extend horizontally. From the tube 10 the rubber tube 9 extends away, and is connected to the bulb 11. This bulb is provided with the valves 12 and 13, the valve 12 being directly adjacent to the end of the tube 9 and opening away from it, while the valve13 is at the opposite end of the bulb and opens similarly. Thus, by compressing the bulb the -air will be excluded therefrom, and as the bulb regains its shape the air is drawn through tube 9, which exan operation of the mouth-piece 2 to draw inwardly. This will draw the saliva into the 5 tube 1 and thence through the tube 5, and into the nozzle 6, where it will remain until its weight causes the plate 8 to swing down and thereby release it. Owing to the arrangement of the tubes 5 and 10, and their omparative location, it will be impossible for the saliva to enter the tube 9, since it will pass out the nozzle 6 before it will be forced to move up the chamber to the tube 10.

It is essential to the operation of the device that the plate 8 be very sensitive, and capable of withstanding the weight of but little saliva, so that the danger of the saliva entering the tube 9 is greatly lessened. It is also essential that this valve-plate be capable of effectively closing the nozzle, for without this the tube 9 would draw through the nozzle 6, and thus defeat the successful operation of the device. Secured to the periphery of the upper side of the chamber 4, is the hook 14,

which is formed preferably of wire and bentv outwardly and thence downwardly, so as to be capable of taking over the edge of an edged object, and thereby supporting the chamber 4.

To use my invention, the hook 14 is made to engage the edge of a cuspidor or other suitable receptacle, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the nozzle 6 will point down into the body of the receptacle, and the upper face of the chamber 4 lie flush with the edge thereof. The mouth-piece 2 is then placed in the patients mouth and the bulb 11 operated to exhaust the air in the chamber 4, which operation will be followed by the drawing of the saliva from the patients mouth, and into the chamber 4, from which it falls, by the operation of the plate 8, as before described. Should it be desired to operate the bulb by footpressure, the bulb may be placed on the floor, and compressed by foot-power; and if necessary, a suitable seat may be provided for it, whereby the bulb is held'stationary. This, however, is well understood by all skilled in the art and does not require any detail description. It is also understood by those acquainted with such matters that the bulb 11 may be replaced by any other device capable of creating a vacuum, or partial vacuum, in the several tubes of my invention, such as an air pump, blower or other arrangement, all

prising in its con struction a chamber adapted to receive the saliva and to form a connection between the saliva-conveying and air-ex hausting pipes, the lower end of said chamber being provided with a nozzle, a plate connected to the nozzle and extending laterally therefrom, the end of said plate being bent to form a clasp, anda rubber valve-plate held by said clasp and arranged over the mouth of the nozzle, substantially as described.

2. A device for removing saliva, and consisting of a tube adapted to be placed in the patients mouth, a chamber having the said tube entering at its upper end and extending down to the lower end of the chamber, at which portion it discharges its contents, an outwardly-opening valve at the lower portion of the chamber, and through which the saliva from the said tube passes from the chamber, a second tube communicating with the upper side of the chamber, and an air-exhausting apparatus connected to the second tube, and whereby the first tube is made to draw the saliva and discharge it upon the valve, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. V

I FRED D. SHERWIN.

Witnesses:

GUSTAV A. BYOR, EZRA E. HOWARD. 

